


How do They See It?

by Crocochoo



Series: What's It Like Universe [2]
Category: The Hobbit (2012), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Durincest, F/M, Gen, Genderswap, M/M, More to be Added as I update - Freeform, Sibling Incest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-04-16
Packaged: 2017-12-06 06:19:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crocochoo/pseuds/Crocochoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of Companion fics for What's it Like?</p><p>We all know how Bilbo sees and hears the journey to Erebor but how do the dwarves see the various events? What do they talk about when Bilbo is not near, how do the brothers interact when she's absent? What does Thorin think of her from the beginning?</p><p>Just a light bunch of chapters meant to give a different perspective to some of the events of What's It Like.<br/>Chapter titles will state what the chapter is about so you can decide to read it or not based off of that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When Fili First Met Bilbo

**Author's Note:**

> SO! I finally did what I had been meaning to do! People have been asking for how the various members of the company see things on their side of the fence and I had been meaning to write them for like ever. NOW! I finally did it! XD
> 
> I have a few ideas for which events I wanted mirrored but if you have ANY opinions or ideas about what you want to see, just leave a comment and I'll write it up.
> 
> Also! Just for some change, I've written in 3rd person! Omg! 
> 
> To start, we have Fili meeting Bilbo. These events mirror what happens in The Unexpected Party.

“Are you sure that's the right name?”

“Of course!”

Fili's far too knowledgeable about his brother's at the very best of times scattered memory and ever since he first heard the name of their burglar-to-be, he's been undecided about whether or not to take Kili's confidence as a show of being correct.

By all means, he's far too willing to allow his brother to look a fool but as the heir apparent, Fili understood that there's a certain value to introductions being made with the correct name. In the long run, he thinks that getting their burglar's name right will be a good step towards building relations but Kili really does look like he has it right this time. 

At least he seems confident enough about it, Fili thinks as he watches his brother pull off his bow and quiver and knock on the door of the Hobbit's seemingly humble sized abode. Honestly, Fili's not expecting much in terms of hospitality (she is a burglar, after all) and from what he could see of the Shire, all hobbit holes appear to be small little burrows for creatures even smaller than dwarves.

Yes, this was technically their last place to rest before their big adventure and all but all things considering, Fili was quite ready to just be on with it, all the fanfare aside.

From beside him, Kili fidgeted, trying to use the light from the window to make sure that his hair looked somewhat put together even though it was still tangled with twigs from their earlier nap near the edges of the Shire. 

“She's taking her time, isn't she?”

Fili shrugged, not wanting to comment about appearances and first impressions since Kili had a way of fumbling such things himself. Still, Kili knocked again just to be sure that he was heard and Fili leaned forward to pull on the cord that would most likely ring the inside bell.

“Smart ass.”

The two brothers grinned at one another, a playful shove exchanged before they heard someone approach the door from the other side. 

“Show time.”  
“Ready to look proper?”

Before the door opened and before the two had to play at just being brothers and nothing more, Fili's eyes glanced at his younger brother, who was already starting to perk himself up so that he was the joking, carefree dwarf. A quick touch on his arm and Kili's smile relaxed a little, a show of his normal casual one that he shared only when they were alone and allowed to be themselves.

When the door opened, Fili was taken aback by the sight of who their burglar-to-be was. She was small, dainty even when compared to their own dwarven women. She was dressed in a patterned dressing robe, her hair messy with curls, and her pretty face sharing a dismayed look that couldn't be hidden quickly enough.

It was the fact that she was standing there looking as if the brothers were a nightmare waiting to happen and not the invited guests that they truly were given the mark on her door and how Gandalf had personally invited them to go to the Hobbit's home.

Her blue eyes were sharp but very much nervous as they glanced from Fili and then over to Kili, taking in their appearance. She stared anxiously at his brother and when Fili looked over, he almost had to roll his eyes at the sight of Kili staring at her intensely. He understood why only because he had done so himself but to really be so obvious about it.

“Fili,” The elder brother and heir apparent introduced himself, a smug grin on his features that only spread wider when he noticed their burglar straighten at the sight of him and blush from the very sound of his voice. Well, if that didn't make Fili perk up a bit, wanting to puff his chest in a want to show off his confidence and how flattered he was by the fact that the Hobbit seemed to fancy him already. It wasn't often that he made a lass blush just from the very sound of his voice, after all.

The heir also wasn't very adverse to the idea of the Hobbit being attracted to him either. She was lovely, bordering on pretty though it was a shame that she didn't have a beard or wasn't a wee bit taller. She did have some rather nice hair though, all honey curls that looked desperate for a brush and with bare feet covered in the same hued curls.

Fili found himself momentarily distracted by the sight of her feet, noticing that his mouth watered at the sight of how large they were and how gorgeous the hair looked, so shiny and well tended despite the fact that the elder dwarf knew that the Hobbits were always barefoot.

“Kili.”

Fili's thoughts were pulled back to the present but upon catching sight of the burglar's face, felt his brow rise in thought at the sight of her blushing at the sound of his brother's voice. She certainly wasn't that subtle about it if she wanted to hide that she was attracted to both his brother and himself. Her flush only seemed to grow worse when Kili greeted her, smiles and cheer as he always was in front of others. 

Kili seemed to notice the flush on her cheeks as well but unless Fili mentioned it first, he wasn't willing to do anything about it. A shared glance and a grin. It wasn't that there was any need to be jealous but if the Hobbit was attracted to both the brothers, it only made their arrangement all the easier if Fili were willing to pursue the dainty creature.

The way she came off though, all skittishness and anxiety didn't exactly sit well with the elder brother, who normally liked his women a bit more fiesty.

“At your service!” Both the brothers greeted, the elder noticing once again that the Hobbit blushed from the combined allure of their voices. Fili understood that despite his brother's beard still not having grown in that amongst the villages of men, the two of them were considered very attractive. Maybe even with Hobbits the two of them were also deemed to be quite good looking? Fili certainly couldn't blame her as the two were descended from a rather striking Uncle and fierce Mother.

He commended the hobbit on having fine tastes and noticed himself that in the light that she was in, the blush on her cheeks made her look rather cute.

“You must be Miss Boggins!”

Fili nearly cursed out loud because the obvious confusion on the Hobbit's face was enough to confirm that Kili had indeed been incorrect about her name. He knew he should have confirmed with Gandalf the name of their burglar before heading off but with Kili literally pushing him out of the tavern, assuring him that he remembered the name, Fili hadn't much choice in the matter.

Now the two of them were forced to deal with the repercussions of having a less than stellar introduction. Not that Fili worried too much. The lass wasn't a dwarf where family names actually mattered and she herself hadn't exactly introduced herself either. Knowing only what Gandalf himself explained of Hobbits, Fili expected the lass to stick to being polite to a fault, apologizing for the misunderstanding- 

“No! No! You can't come in!”

It was only Kili's quick thinking that stopped the Hobbit from slamming the door on them, preventing the heavy door from closing with a well placed foot and a hand on the surface, already pushing back.

Oh, so she _was_ fiesty! Fili felt himself grin at the expression on the hobbit's face, all put upon airs and frustration.

“What? Has it been cancelled?”  
“No one told us.”

Fili looked to his brother before staring at the Hobbit; she really did look distressed for some reason now. Her face was still flushed and she looked like she just wanted to push them out of her doorway and leave her be. She wasn't strong enough to slam the door while Kili prevented her from doing so but she wasn't willing to budge and let them in either. 

Was she so offended by Kili getting her name wrong that she was so adamant to throw them out? In the back of Fili's mind, he was already thinking about whether or not the journey was actually cancelled but just as he stated to the hobbit himself, they hadn't received any word from Thorin about him cancelling the reclamation of Erebor. 

It seemed like something important enough to inform the others about.

She seemed to really be struggling with the idea of letting them in, her eyes darting back into her house beyond where the brothers could see before coming to rest on the younger Durin's again. For whatever reason, Fili was sure that their burglar hobbit was torn by the idea of the brothers coming in but at the same time, she didn't want to talk to them at the doorway.

“No, nothing's been cancelled-” Finally she relented, her expression practically falling even as she gave up on trying to keep the brothers out.

“Well, that's a relief!”

Fili could count on his brother to make an entrance and one step more by nearly breaking into someone's house, shoving the hobbit back until she was forced to step aside. Kili strolled into the main entrance hall, followed closely by his brother.

Upon entering the home of their burglar, Fili was surprised. It wasn't like what he expected from the outside; he expected it to be small and cramped and nothing like their home back in Ered Luin. He wasn't expecting so large a place and he found it strange that the hobbit would live there alone in such a grand home.

Fili found himself grinning at the idea that this Hobbit was probably into the entertainment of visitors despite all the pretense she put up about not wanting to allow the brothers inside. Homes this large in Ered Luin were meant to entertain guests and so he figured that their burglar must be the same way. Well, if she was an eager host then Fili himself would be an eager guest, showing her just what it meant to be a prideful dwarf.

He took Kili as an example, who had already dumped his things into the arms of their willing host, “Careful with these, I just had them sharpened.”

He saw her anxious face turn back in his direction sharply, the flush still on her cheeks. Fili grinned from the assumption that the hobbit must be impressed very much with Kili's bow and quiver. It was of fine make, made by their own Uncle, and if that sort of thing impressed her then his own stash of weapons would seal the deal. 

He had his double sheathe and he deposited it on her arms where she gratefully took it, looking at Fili as he deposited dagger after dagger and hidden knife after hidden knife into her waiting arms. He couldn't help but notice that as he did so Kili talked in the background about her hobbit hole and once again, she blushed at his words. 

Was she really so attracted to their voices? Fili hadn't intended on giving her all his weapons but he wanted to study her expressions and he pulled out the dagger he stashed in his boot just to buy himself more time. As he watched her reply back to his rambling brother, Fili found himself wondering if she were attracted to his brother?

Her eyes didn't seem to take in their appearances anymore so it was hard to say but the more Kili talked, the more her face reddened. When she finally noticed Fili staring at her, she seemed to blush all the more and Fili found himself smirking at the thought that she was just shy about her mutual attraction towards he and his brother.

She was pretty enough for both the brothers and if she wanted to lie with them, then it could definitely be arranged if she were willing.

“Fili, Kili! Come on, give us a hand!”

Fili's thoughts were pulled away from their hobbit by the voice of Dwalin, their Uncle's best friend. He was just as Fili remembered and he took Kili under his arm and tugged him away through the hobbit's parlour. 

“Mr. Dwalin!”

Dwalin and Balin wanted the brothers to help them move a table in the adjoining kitchen so that they could get the rest of the impending company a place to sit and eat. As the youngest, the two were always eager to help out and they took to the task as intensely as they did their training when they were younger. As they moved the table at the direction of Balin, the two waited until they were left to the task of rearranging some of the furniture in the room by themselves to steal a moment of conversation for themselves. 

Fili was too absorbed in his task of moving chairs into the room that when Kili came up next to him, he was surprised by his appearance. 

“So, she's pretty.”

He rolled his eyes at how quickly Kili was willing to jump on the idea of pursuing the hobbit for their purposes. Yes, she was pretty and attractive in her own hobbit way but that didn't mean that she was interested in them...

“I know that look on your face. Don't even lie to yourself. You saw how she blushed at the very sight of us.”

The brothers looked up from where they were huddled and saw the hobbit storming off in a huff when she heard the doorbell ring again. 

“Plus, she's feisty in the way you like them too.”

Fili found himself rolling his eyes at the idea that Kili was once again trying to set him up; he grabbed his brother so that the two could find a private moment in one of the cellars where the hobbit stored her ale.

“She's a bundle of nerves, that one. Are you sure you got the feeling from her?”

Kili shrugged off the idea, “Of course, just look at her! She was practically squirming around us. She must be used to bedding multiple partners if she can't even keep her womanhood from stirring at the sight of two virile young dwarves such as ourselves.”

Kili found a nearby reflective surface and started to primp himself again, now thinking that he had Fili on board and would actually need to care about his appearance again for at least a night. Fili himself was still a little unsure about how confident Kili was about the Hobbit's habits. Yes, she reacted to them in a way that was more befitting of someone who knew what she was doing but she fidgeted too much for the picture to be fully realized.

Plus, Kili had been mistaken about her name... he could be mistaken about her sexual appetite as well.

“Don't look at me like that.” Kili rounded on his older brother and after sparing a quick glance in the direction of where they heard more dwarves being let into the house, he stepped close enough to Fili to feel the warmth from underneath his clothes. “I know what you want when you want it and I can see that you want her.”

“I'm intrigued by her, little more.”

Kili smiled at that and nuzzled closer, ignoring how his brother tensed and gripped his biceps to remind his brother to keep his distance while they had a chance of being caught. “Intrigued is already more than enough for me to want to pursue her for you.”

Kili kissed at his brother's neck, teeth grazing flesh and chuckling when his brother shuddered under the touch. “You're alright with it? Like before then?”

“Of course,” Kili pulled back and made sure that both of them looked decent, “Like before. We lie with her and that's it. Passing urge is done and gone.”

Fili smirked at the idea of actually pursuing the hobbit, feeling his blood start to boil already from the inevitable chase. It was his favorite part because he would need to involve himself with the hobbit and flirt his way to her bed but it would be worth it.

Kili stopped before he let Fili out of the cellar and when the older brother caught the look in his brother's eyes, he had to stop. His mischievous, lighthearted brother was _actually_ thinking, “You know... if you're interested in her then Uncle might see something of interest there too. Your tastes usually align.”

Fili didn't even give that thought time to percolate, already dismissing it with a rough pull of Kili into the crook of his elbow, a noogie ready by the time dwarves were upon them. They laughed at their antics and ushered them to help them with the raiding of one of the hobbit's pantries. 

Fili knew that as sure as his brother had been wrong about her name that he would be wrong about Thorin's interest in the hobbit. She was hardly his type, all anxiety and fidgeting. Thorin liked his women with strength, courage, honor, and loyalty and from what he could see of the burglar so far, she lacked honor and loyalty just from her job description alone.

Now the idea of strength and courage, that one was a little trickier. She didn't look physically strong like dwarven women but of her courage; what courage could such an anxious hobbit who blushed from the mere sound of the brothers' voices have?

Fili caught sight of the hobbit fighting for the losing battle of the contents of her larder, shouting at the dwarves who easily stepped by her with nary a thought. Well, maybe she had some courage but he was definitely willing to see just how much she kept hidden underneath that prim and proper exterior.

Fili found that he was definitely looking forward to this journey, especially if the fumbling, feisty Miss Hobbit were there to be as entertaining as she was while in her own home.


	2. What Thorin Sees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin's perspective of his first night in Bag End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I updated this! T_T Sorry for the long wait for these side chapters...
> 
> But anyway, here we have today is Thorin's perspective of the events leading up to What's it Like and the first night in Bag End. It covers the span of The last Guest and Also a Took but then goes beyond that and ventures into something that Bilbo wasn't able to see.
> 
> So yeah, this is the first chapter where the dwarves are just doing something and Bilbo isn't around at all. @.@
> 
> This was originally designed to be short little chapters but somehow 6.2k words later...

When Gandalf told Thorin all those months ago in the tavern in Gondor that he wanted to help with his quest to reclaim their homeland of Erebor, Thorin had been solemnly ecstatic. So much already had been taken from him that he was at first unsure of the wizard and whether or not to trust him with anything to do with his homeland but after being reassured, Thorin calmed himself so they could talk. They drank and smoked while they discussed the details, first starting by how the wizard had even come to know that Thorin was in the white city where men reigned.

For the long months he had been there, Thorin kept his identity a secret, guarding his heritage like a bitter secret for as long as he worked the forge in the nearby shop. It was his shame if anyone in the city discovered that they brought their knives to be sharpened by the should-be King of Erebor. Despite all that, Gandalf had strolled into the tavern and waved to him, delighted to see the King-In-Exile.

Gandalf was as the wizard had always been, full of riddles that aggravated him, but it seemed that they shared a common interest when Thorin asked him why he sought out the dwarf. They both wanted to see Smaug gone from the mountain though Gandalf's full reasoning was hidden with sly behavior and smooth words. They spoke in hushed tones and Gandalf tried to keep it from him but Thorin could see the way the wizard's eyes darted to the various passerby, a quick suspicion that could have been hidden had Thorin been anything less than a warrior.

Whatever they were speaking of, the wizard did not want anyone else to know of it.

Still, the wizard assured him that he wanted to see the reclamation of their homeland and that he was willing to do what he could to help. The two parted from the tavern and Thorin traveled back to Ered Luin the very next morning after sending word to his sister, a renewed sense of purpose eating away at him as he thought of home.

Thorin called everyone who would listen to join him in reclaiming the mountain and months later, word from the wizard came, asking him to bring the company and meet him in the small village of Bree. Thorin sent the company on ahead since he had business to take care of with the other clans but it was while Thorin was stopped over and resting in the pub in Bree that Gandalf revealed to him the real reason why they were meeting in such a simple place...

“Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield.“

Thorin watched as the hobbit in question approached him, wishing to greet him as she most likely would any other person to come to her door.

“So, this is the Hobbit?”

His eyes took in the sight of the creature before him, frail looking and shorter than any in the company already; she looked just as the rest of her kind did, mannered and uptight to the point of annoyance, already starting to fidget under Thorin's intense gaze.

Thorin fought the urge to chuckle at the memory of what Gandalf told him, of how it was vital that a simple, gentle hobbit such as this need be to join them for their quest to be a success. He was not at all perturbed by the fact that Gandalf placed such faith in a female but that he placed such faith in one of what the dwarves knew to be the gentlest of races.

Thorin thought of how she was a burglar after listening to Gandalf but regardless of her occupation, the hobbit was still counted as one of the gentle folk.

However could she hope to steal anything when just his voice inquiring about her seemed to threaten her?

She looked ruffled from his slight interrogation about her fighting abilities, completely bewildered and stressed from the clenching of her fists and tightening of her lips. Her face was surprised by his line of questioning for some reason, her eyes following his great presence without pause.

Thorin hadn't been expecting the hobbit to be tall or fiercely built – in fact, he had no preconceived notions of what she would look like when Gandalf told him about her – and yet, despite her trembling appearance, Thorin was impressed by the fact that she stood her ground. Aside from the tone of his voice, she did not react at all to the way he circled her in his inspection, unwilling to show that she was intimidated.

It was that specific fact that kept Thorin from feeling as if he were being insulted by the mere thought of Bilbo Baggins being the key to his journey being a success.

 _Perhaps she could be of use, after all_ , he mused as he joked about her looking like a grocer and left to eat whatever was left of the feast Gandalf promised.

Later on when the mention of Smaug came up and Bofur foolishly couldn't pick up on the fact that the faces she made were that of someone about to very ill, Thorin thought he would need to amend his earlier statement when he saw how she reacted. The rest of the company seemed shocked by her fainting so abruptly and it was definitely something of a nuisance since Thorin was the closest to her and had to help carry her to the nearby sitting room.

When she was in his arms, he noticed how light she was, how very small and innocent she appeared to be while in slumber. As he carried her to the sitting room and set her down into one of the plush chairs, eyeing Gandalf as he came over with a hot cup of tea, Thorin wondered just how this creature could be so important? She had no business being on a quest such as theirs given the danger that she would inevitably find herself in.

Thorin considered what Gandalf himself wanted of the fair creature, imagining as she attempted the task assigned for her, sneaking along into Erebor from the secret entrance and stealing treasure right from under the dragon's nose. In his fantasy, Thorin found himself at a loss because he just couldn't see the hobbit before him being such a fierce creature... she barely looked as if she could kill a spider much less anything more threatening than that.

Thorin deigned to trust Gandalf's judgment on this but he found it difficult while looking at the youthful face writ with no worry or concerns. He found himself thinking of what necessary conviction she possessed and if that were enough to reclaim their home? He was unable to see how she thought of a quest of dwarves would be such a concern to her or at least enough of a concern to actually want to leave her peaceful home.

When he realized that she was beginning to wake, he quickly got up from her side and allowed Gandalf to try and convince her to come with them; while he was not really on board in terms of something so weak coming along on their journey, he took Gandalf's words to heart of how she needed to come along for it to be a success.

He only hoped that Gandalf could convince her.

Thorin found his way back to one of the adjoining hallways leading out from the sitting room, whereas he saw that his company was scattered by then with no more food or ale to feast on. Balin sat by himself down the hallway and Dwalin nodded as Thorin went past.

Thorin caught the sight of his two nephews standing next to one another in the nearby alcove, engaged in easy conversation that paused when they saw him approaching. He did not want to interrupt what they discussed but he settled his hand on their shoulders and smiled in a gesture that showed that he was pleased that they were there with him. While they had been on the road with him in the past, a quest such as the one they were going on in the morning would be the first with such a purpose in mind. It was important in their growth for such a thing and while Thorin had mixed feelings on allowing them to come along, he did not think he could send them away either.

From his spot on the other side of the hallway, he spoke with Balin and listened to the words that Gandalf and Bilbo shared, a story being told that would try and convince her to join them. Despite the wizard's words, Thorin almost didn't want to have to deal with the hobbit joining them, her life seemingly forfeit the moment she decided to leave her home.

He had meant it when he said that he could not guarantee her safety and again when he would not be responsible for her fate.

He sighed from how weary his thoughts were, listening to Balin speak as he tried to make light conversation with his King. Thorin accepted this and listened gratefully, nodding every so often and informing Balin of his sister and her good heath.

The two were interrupted when they saw the small figure of the hobbit walk away down the hallway, her posture being all that was needed to know that she would not join them on their quest. Thorin watched her disappear down the hallway, reappearing a moment later carrying pillows and blankets.

As much as the thought of her not joining them made his stomach settle into a dark pit of anxiety, despite Gandalf's words that their quest could now be doomed, Thorin found that he didn't much blame her.

Thorin – in fact – didn't blame anyone who didn't answer his call. Yes, he felt a sense of anger and petulant betrayal but he knew what some of the dwarves of Ered Luin spoke of while in hushed corners. Reclaiming Erebor was nearly a lost cause for many, a mere fanciful dream.

He listened to Balin as the dwarf tried to persuade him into thinking that maybe the journey wasn't necessary. As he listened, Thorin couldn't help but think of the hobbit and the other clans that had turned him down. His thoughts rested on the fact that there were a company of dwarves who believed in his cause, all relaxing at the very moment in the hobbit's home.

He asked for loyal, honor, and a willing heart... If someone else did not think it a good choice, he would not doubt such a claim, least of all from a hobbit whom he thought chose what was considered the wisest option for herself.

It was when he was singing with his company that he caught a hint of honey colored curls out of the corner of his eye; he hadn't noticed her before but now that he was focused on the sight of her, he saw that she was rather sheepishly peeking into the room. She did not want to disturb them, toeing into the room cautiously as she listened to his people sing their lilting tune of sorrow and loss.

He expected her to look sad at the sound of the song or even interrupt them to say that she was going to bed but when he looked into her eyes, he saw nothing of the sort. She listened to their voices and seemed far away, carried on the voices to the very places that they sang about. She reminded him of Frerin and how he was always the one that wanted adventures instead of sitting and being lectured by their tutors, how his eyes lit up brightly with the idea of exploring the nearby town of Dale when they were too young.

Thorin remembered the words he heard from the sitting room, the way the hobbit used to explore when she was younger as well. Hardly able to imagine her from earlier being that way, when she didn't fidget or look anxious, Thorin thought he could see the explorer in her.

She wasn't brave or strong like his other men but he heard from Gandalf's own claims that she had the determination to see something through, even if it were only to search for elves.

Thorin stared at her and understood that the reason she stayed in Bag End felt similar to his own honor bound sense of needing to journey onward to Erebor. She wanted to go and forced herself to stay for some reason. He wanted to stay in Ered Luin and enjoy the peace he cultivated there with his family and yet...

He watched her shake her head to clear her thoughts, her eyes catching his for a brief moment. He saw that fire in her from before subdued but not completely snuffed out, just waiting for the necessary spark to once more burn brightly. Breaking eye contact with Thorin, she wandered off down the hallway, disappearing back into the tunnels of Bag End.

After a few minutes of weighing the options and seeing that his fellows were each going off to their own whims, Thorin decided that he would follow the hobbit and try to convince her himself. He was not the best with words and he knew he had a temper but he had a feeling he could somewhat convince her where Gandalf could not if he just spoke with her.

Something as deep as instinct told Thorin that his voice was all that was needed to sway the hobbit.

He found her in a spare bedroom tidying up and arranging the linens to make the bed; he expected to immediately try and convince her as was his original goal but with her in front of him, Thorin found that his thoughts scattered and he stayed silent, observing her instead. She was lost in her task of making the bed, automatic and without any passion but no less attentive to the needs of whomever was going to sleep in the bed tonight.

Thorin would claim the room as his own, he declared to himself as he watched the hobbit appear to personally make the bed for him. Even if she arranged the room for someone else, he would take it from them.

Thorin felt himself tense from his own thoughts, unsure of where such possessive inclinations came from.

It was that moment that Bilbo chose to turn around, startled by the sight of Thorin at the doorway watching her.

Now that he was given his chance, Thorin approached the nervous little hobbit, seeing as she flinched when he stepped closer. Once more he found his thoughts centered around the small thing in front of him, wondering just what Gandalf saw in her that he couldn't see himself? She flinched from the sight of him alone though as he observed her, he could see that she was not afraid of him.

He remembered his original purpose of following her into the room and yet, he found that he could not easily say the words necessary. He wanted to convince her to join them but all that came out was, “Where are you going?”

It was a half realized thought, Thorin understood the second it came out, a mixture of his thoughts from when they were singing and she retreated away from his company and again why she even tried to dismiss her true feelings in wanting to go.

Thorin went to Erebor for the chance to give his people and his family a better life... where was Bilbo going by using Bag End as a means to contain herself?

“Bed,” Thorin felt a tendril of curiosity in his gut at the sound of how forced and breathy the hobbit's voice was, “Early start for you guys. I will give you a good breakfast before you go, of course.”

Thorin knew from raising two nephews the various methods that were used to hide the truth, how someone hid behind manners and words to try and placate their inquisitor. Thorin could see all too well when it was happening in front of him, his eyes watching the hobbit as she tried to convince herself of something she desperately clung to.

Without realizing it, Thorin moved closer to her, thinking that if she were uncomfortable or unwilling she would step away and leave. Just as he expected her to though, she kept to her spot. So close to her now, he found his eyes wandering, taking in the sight of her and the smell of some aroma he never had the chance to smell before. She was not particularly his type but he couldn't dismiss that there was something about her that intrigued him.

He remembered her words and hummed low in his throat, something he used to do when the brothers were younger and he didn't want to automatically tut or yell at them, hoping that they would give the other away. He wanted her to not hide behind words when he could see a hint of passion simmering underneath the surface.

The reaction to his voice was made visible with a barely seen shudder that Thorin forced himself not to react to. His mind focused as his eyes took in the hobbit's features, the way her lips parted with each breath and how her eyes refused to look away from him. He wasn't sure what any of it meant, why he felt he even wanted to invade her space in such a way...

“Before _we_ go, I suppose you mean?” Thorin would try to convince her in the simplest way he could. He didn't trust himself should he become long winded. He only knew that the hobbit only needed a little prodding to want to join them, “Are you not the burglar?”

His eyes raked over the form of the hobbit, noting that she breathed deeper and clenched her hands into the fabric of her skirt. He could tell that she didn't want to hit him for she was much too relaxed for that and her eyes...

Oh...?

Thorin almost wanted to grin at the sight of how the pupils of the hobbit's eyes were blown wide. Many things could do such a thing but given their close quarters, Thorin had to attribute it to one thing.

He took in the measure of how her heart raced, leaning forward because now that he was so close, he understood that the aroma from her before was not a perfume but something else entirely.

Before he could fully appreciate the scent of her arousal, the hobbit snapped back to herself, nervously stepping away from Thorin and fidgeting through the manners that would preserve herself. She cleared her throat and smoothed down her skirts, leaving Thorin to watch the entire act and feel a hint of amusement from how desperate she looked.

His eyes followed the path that she took to leave the room, not wanting to say another word to the taller dwarf but Thorin did not want her to go without letting her know that even though she said she wasn't going to go with them on their journey, he fully expected her to be there.

“I'll see you in the morning, hobbit.”

Thorin threw an amused turn of his lips in her direction, meeting that confused gaze before she sheepishly nodded at him and left the room.

He watched her go, not bothering to close the door, a soft sigh on his lips that he wasn't sure provoked given that he managed to get his point across, only knowing that he felt tired and dissatisfied by how the hobbit left.

He didn't pay it much thought though once he crossed the room to close the door, thinking of locking it for want of privacy but then thinking better of it. He shrugged out of his fur trimmed coat, leaving it on a nearby chair before he went to the bed that was prepared for him. Thorin couldn't help but stare at its casual opulence, observing how comfortable it looked and how much finer it looked than his own back home in Ered Luin. He sighed at the memory of home and what he considered his real home and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face with his hands, a sound of exhaustion on his lips.

A knock on the door alerted him, his hand automatically going for a hidden knife that he kept in his boot before he stopped himself and remembered where he was.

“Come in.”

Thorin visibly relaxed at the sight of his nephews, their smiling faces peeking through the opening of the door and seeing that their Uncle hadn't even begun to undress for bed before coming in. They closed the door after them, wanting to be alone and inform any passerby that it was to only be a family only affair; he could see that they wanted to talk to him about something, and after catching Fili's eyes, Thorin also added to that observation that they just wanted to be around him.

Thorin gave a slight chuckle at the thought of how his nephews still wanted to be around him all the time and softened his face so that they understood that they were welcomed company. He moved back to sit up at the head of the bed, watching as Fili took a seat in the chair that was placed on the other side of the side table. The younger brother who always felt as if he could get away with acting younger than he was took his place at the foot of Thorin's bed, plopping down without any grace and smirking.

Despite the evening that Thorin had to endure, the thought of how irksome it had been with the extra task of convincing the hobbit to venture off with them, his youngest nephew didn't seem perturbed by any of it. He looked well at home in the plush bed, well fed and happy.

On the other side of that picture, his brother and Thorin's heir was anything but calm and content; he sat in his seat leaning on his knees, his fingers kneading over knuckles while his eyes darted around the room. Thorin knew well enough from the lad's entire childhood that when he looked the way he did, he wasn't really seeing anything that his eyes seemed to linger on, his worry about whatever it was too great to allow him focus.

“So we're off to Erebor in the morning?”

Fili noticed that Thorin observed his eldest nephew, wanting to know what was wrong and wishing to already comfort whatever was worrying him. So long in the role of a father-figure that regardless of what changes their relationship endured over the years, Thorin would forever seek to lessen the burdens that Fili weighed upon his mind.

Knowing all this from years spent under his Uncle's watch, Fili tried to accept this gesture, always grateful for the sentiment even though he knew it was impossible to fully unload his burdens.

“Aye.” Thorin answered in a simple manner, his arms crossed and resting his eyes. In the back of his mind, Thorin wished conversation came easier to them but when it was just the three of them and they actively decided to set aside their roles, the words never seemed to come easily. After so many years with the brothers, Thorin still found it hard to be completely comfortable with them when they were not actively playing the part of his little nephews.

As Thorin took in the sight of them and their mannerisms, he was all too aware of how they were just fellow dwarves wishing for his company.

“How long do you think we'll be away for?” Fili asked, wanting to broach the subject of how long it might take them to go to Erebor. Thorin's eyes narrowed in thought because he wondered if Fili asked because he was just curious or because he would want to know how long he and his brother would need to watch themselves?

It was hard to say with either given all the unknown factors of the road and then with the dragon waiting for them at the end. It was also made harder to know since Thorin was not sure that they would succeed...  
There was also the factor of the hobbit that Gandalf was bent on having. Earlier Thorin had been sure that she would show up but there was always the chance that he was wrong... If she decided not to come after all, what would they do?

There was so much to think on, Thorin thought as he unconsciously rubbed the bridge of his nose.

When Thorin focused on the sight of his youngest nephew in front of him, the lad instantly took note of the impending conversation.

“By Durin, this bed is too comfortable!”

Thorin couldn't suppress the small upturn of his lips, the chuckle and shake of his head. Trust Kili to squash any conversation that could possibly turn into a lecture by changing the subject onto something that was completely mundane and irrelevant.

Though not as completely irrelevant to their current location as Kili would have hoped. Thorin glanced at his two nephews before settling his gaze on Kili from his spot on the other side of the bed

“So did you two get it out of your systems?”

Thorin had to ask because it had been a thought in the back of his mind since he learned that his nephews would be present on the journey. He knew that they could restrain themselves if necessary but the longer they stayed in one spot or surrounded by people who knew them, the harder it would become on them. He had to be sure that the two understood the dangers ahead of them if they weren't careful.

“Awww, Uncle,” Kili's face twisted in mixture of annoyance and a pout, moving effortlessly to sit up, “You make it sound so bad sometimes-”

“We'll be careful, Thorin.” Fili interrupted before Kili could finish his thought, mindful of Thorin's parental need to protect them. Mindful of everything Thorin had always done to protect them. Unsaid between them, the brothers knew that Thorin wasn't asking both of them the same question. He knew that the elder could manage but that the younger would push as he always did. The question was more for Kili than anyone else and everyone knew it.

Eyeing his two nephews again, he realized that his gaze once again lingered on Kili, needing to know that both the boys were in agreement. Once he was satisfied that they both understood, he nodded.

“Good, I don't need another repeat of when we were in the Iron hills.”

It was the only warning that Thorin really wanted to get into, hoping that Kili would understand not to repeat the same mistakes that were made there, barely covered up by the fact that they were in a tavern and plenty of ale had been involved. Thorin found himself thinking back to the incident and how it had been easy enough to cover up that the brothers were a bit too close due to being piss drunk but it still shook him enough to have them quickly take their leave at the soonest opportunity.

Upon hearing his words of warning though, Kili reacted just as Thorin expected him to.

Kili was so rash at times, and just as it was Fili's way to avoid any topic that bothered him by verbally talking his way out of it, it was Kili's way to go head first into any disagreement with a physical approach. Thorin was expecting it and thus wasn't surprised when Kili decided that the perfect way to get his point across was to invade Thorin's personal space, crawling up the bed until he was nestled between Thorin's thighs.

Thorin almost wanted to roll his eyes at how forward and predictable Kili was, how very much unwilling to acknowledge their situation that he would try to silence Thorin, “Don't be like that, Uncle. We were able to cover it up.” Kili's eyes were pleadingly sweet when they met Thorin's but always able to call the boy out on his tricks, Thorin understood the game that Kili was playing at.

“Besides, out in the woods,” Kili leaned forward, finding skin beneath the collar of Thorin's tunic, kissing along the column of flesh before feeling his Uncle brace himself as if he were about to stop him only to still a second later. Kili grinned after he pressed his lips to the hard line of his Uncle's jaw, eliciting a deep grumbled sigh from the older dwarf.

“Hidden from view? Who knows what could happen...?”

Fili watched every turn of play that the two dwarves engaged in, from the moment Kili wormed his way between Thorin's thighs and asserted himself in a way his Uncle rarely accepted, not enjoying the manner with which Kili tried to distract their Uncle with. Even knowing that it was Thorin's choice whether or not he would be swayed, Fili didn't approve of Kili trying to weasel his way out of it either.

Years of being Kili's brother made Fili bitter whenever he witnessed Kili get out of being yelled at.

Fili was secretly delighted when he saw Thorin stop Kili, his hand pushing back his youngest nephew in manner that warranted no further discussion on the topic of conversation and whether he could continue or not.

“Enough. Your brother understands how serious this is.”

It was unspoken that Thorin believed Kili too reckless for any of it, the journey and the relationship but those facts are something that the brothers already knew, “You play with it as you always have but I need you to understand that we'll be surrounded by our friends and fellow kind.”

Thorin knew from experience that when he did not explicitly state his warnings, the brothers had a tendency to disregard anything said; even as responsible as Fili tried to be as Thorin's heir, there were times that he allowed Kili to push them into mischief. Something like this though, this was something that Thorin could not leave to chance.

His gaze was hard when he met Kili's eyes, “If you two are caught, I won't be able to protect you.”

It was as simple as any truth, for truly if the brothers were caught while on the journey, there would be nothing that Thorin could say or do that would help them. He would be forced to take action as he should have done so many years ago.

Kili's normally playful disposition disappeared as quickly as it came, falling into a serious expression that turned his eyes cold and defiant.

“And if we're caught with you?”

A challenge, one that Thorin wouldn't allow at the moment. Behind closed doors, Thorin was normally happy to allow such disregard to his authority but not about this. Never about this.

“You _will_ show restraint for once in your life.”

Once again, Kili's mood swiftly changed, his eyes finding an amusement not previously apparent, “Restraint?” He barked out a laughter at his Uncle's words though the dwarf himself could tell that it was not in regards to what he'd said but something else entirely.

Thorin found that he was intrigued already by what his youngest nephew implied.

“You're nagging at the wrong dwarf for once about that.” Pleased with the idea of being able to essentially tell on his older brother, Kili leaned back out of Thorin's personal space, once again lounging on the other side of the bed.

Knowing what his brother was doing made Fili sigh and roll his eyes, “Kili, do you have to?”

“What are you two up to?” Thorin's eyes darted between his two nephews, seeking clarification about what exactly was implied and watching as Kili grinned at his brother from across the room, “Fili's shown an interest in the hobbit.”

Thorin almost couldn't hide his surprise, his eyebrows telling his nephews everything of his reaction before he could even hope to stop it. It shouldn't have been as much of a shock to him that Fili would be interested in the hobbit given what he nephew he liked but he also couldn't say he expected it.

He thought back to his earlier encounter with her, of how she stood her ground when he invaded her personal space and held his gaze even though it was apparent she was nervous in his presence and overwhelmed whenever he spoke.

Thorin almost could not believe the truth of the words even though he knew that Kili wouldn't have spoken them otherwise.

“Is this true?” His eyes found his nephew's, wanting to know for sure and Fili could see that just as he had always been in the past, he's not judgmental about the revelation. Whatever opinions he had on the hobbit, he kept them from the current conversation.

“I have an interest, yes,” Fili remembered the way the hobbit reacted to the brothers when they first met her and again when she accidentally bumped into him and nearly rubbed herself against the ale barrel, “and she seems willing.”

Fili watched his Uncle, lost in his own thoughts about the hobbit's willingness; it was true that she hadn't backed down from his earlier advances and he was sure that he smelled the scent of her arousal in the air before she ran off.

“That she does.” He unknowingly whispered as he thought again of how her eyelashes fluttered delicately against her cheeks when he spoke and how heavily her heart beat within her chest. The flush of her cheeks...

“Hm?”

Kili's inquiry to his softly spoken words broke Thorin from his thoughts, quickly making him remember where he was and with whom he spoke, “Nothing. Just be sure to keep it from being messy; we'll need to travel with the hobbit and I won't tolerate any... problems.”

In truth, the brothers never did need his approval on such matters anymore but it still touched him that they would seek to have it whenever the three of them were together.

Despite the civility with which they spoke, there was a silent issue that Kili despised talking of and Thorin hated bringing up because it always started a fight. Thorin would give his consent to the entire affair if -and only if- Kili kept himself in check, no matter what happened with his brother. Thorin remembered the few other times the brothers took another in their bed and Kili intentionally ruined it and made it impossibly messy.

It made him nervous to put his faith in his nephews in such matters but one look at Fili and he knew that his heir understood what he thought. If they were to try and bed the hobbit, they would need to be respectable about it and ensure that she not leave on bad terms. The reclamation of Erebor was their main priority and if anything interfered with that...

“Understood.” Without needing it to be spoken, Fili understood the main stipulation of Thorin's approval, nodding and acknowledging it with a formal acceptance. He would do his best for the quest while also attempting a bit more personal endeavor on the side. His blue eyes looked to his brother on the bed, needing his consent as well to this since it involved him and the warning of it becoming messy was once again a direct warning for Kili.

From the bed, Kili himself already felt as if his temper would start to rear its ugly head, bitter that once again Thorin would remind him of his various mistakes in the past. In open disrespect for his Uncle, he shrugged in response as a means to show that he accepted but that he didn't appreciate what was said.

“Kili,” Thorin's voice was cold and harsh, the name a bite on his lips, his eyes flashing with warning at the insolence of the brunette dwarf, who refused to meet his hard gaze, “I mean it. Nothing rash.”

The two were at a stand still with Fili unable to do anything about it except wait for one of them to back down; he knew that it would have to be Kili undeniably but it still did not stop him from holding his breath. If Kili waited too long, their Uncle would be furious with them and...

“Alright!” Kili threw his arms up in the air, exasperation and annoyance clear in his voice, “I understand, okay?! Get off my back!”

From there the discussion was closed and the three sat in a silence until Thorin felt his exhaustion again in his body, rubbing at his eyes for a moment before he moved to the side of the bed.

“It's late and we have an early start, so I suggest you two get some rest.”

There would be other opportunities for them to sleep together but Thorin knew that the brothers would not be able to rest in the room with him tonight. He knew that the hobbit had already arranged sleeping quarters for them and it would look suspicious if the three of them sequestered themselves away at the beginning of the journey. He yawned widely as he stood from the bed, listening to his nephews do the same.

He followed them to the door, his blue eyes meeting Fili's as the lad gently smiled up at him and pulled him close for a hug, “Good night, Uncle.”

Paternal and a love of a different sort made Thorin kiss Fili's forehead, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulled back and smiled, “Good night, Fili.”

“Kili,” Thorin reached to do the same with the younger brother but as soon as he was about to repeat the kiss, Kili leaned up and shot a pouting look at him. Thorin felt himself stop for a moment, unsure if he should give in to Kili's demands after being so petulant, but he was aware that the debate was already won when he felt Kili's fingers thread into his navy jacket. He sighed in defeat -reminded of how Dwalin teased him about spoiling his nephews- and gently touched his lips to Kili's, their kiss light and affectionate before Thorin pulled away. “Good night.”

After the two brothers were gone and Thorin was left alone in the room, he undressed down to his tunic and breeches and got into the bed that was made for him.

He fell asleep thinking of Erebor but in his dreams he saw their burglar hobbit rushing towards him, her curly hair and ridiculous skirts whipping in the air as she shouted at them to not leave her behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeeeep, Bilbo's perspective of the chapter is much sexier than Thorin's.
> 
> We also get a HUGE insight to the relationship that Thorin has with his nephews, though how it all got there is still unknown.

**Author's Note:**

> Remember! Any chapter ideas you want to see, leave a comment!


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